When I was listening to "Visions of Bone" for the first time, I had just watched some previews for the upcoming season of the TV show "The Walking Dead", set in a post-zombie apocalypse USA. The bleak, at times sparse music created by THE WOUNDED KINGS seemed to suit the TV show well.

The band made the interesting decision of opening with the longest track, "Beast" (clocking in at 13:44). The fact that I didn't feel at all bored by this track is a testament to notable songwriting ability and "riff craft" if you will. Vocalist George Birch has an eerie baritone which adds to the bleak atmosphere. Throughout the album, he makes use of a muffled sort of vocal effect, which enhances the eerie atmosphere in my opinion. Another aspect which makes this long track engaging is the use of musical contrasts - the track begins with softer riffs, then brings in the heavier sounds at around 2:24. Musical "negative space" - in this case moments of silence - help to break up the song as well. Guitarist Steve Mills brings in a simple, languid solo, which shows off his musical prowess without the need for flashy technicality.

"Bleeding Sky" and "Vanishing Sea" are especially bleak and heavy numbers; the distortion and pace of the latter suits the lyrical themes well. Mills ends "Bleeding Sky" on a high note with a reverb-laden, mournful solo. Drummer Mike Heath draws the listener in with his catchy bass drum-crash cymbal fills. His parts are mixed well here and throughout the album; the hard-hitting drums necessary for the band's style never overwhelm the other instruments or the vocals. "Vanishing Sea" contains my favourite vocal performance from Birch, with some interesting dynamics in the chorus, as well as good vocal harmonies. He is the herald of doom (no pun intended) on this track, with a warning best heeded. The length of the track is broken up with a delicate, jazz-like interlude with softly picked guitars. This sets up the track well for the powerful return to heavy riffs, with a powerful solo by Mills, which is enhanced by the counter-melodies running underneath it.

"Visions of Bone" makes bleakness sound beautiful. It's a great pity that this band has decided to call it quits, but doom fans can take comfort in the fact that their discography will be around for them to enjoy for as long as MP3s and CDs exist.